Security
by KitKatt0430
Summary: StudentTeacher universe. Oneshot. “You do realize, Lord Botta, that if our leader doesn’t kill us, I’m more likely to be demoted than promoted for this stunt.” “Pessimist.”


Disclaimer: You'd know if I owned Tales of Symphonia for several reasons: 1.) I'd be doing the happy dance. 2.) I'd be telling everyone the good news. 3.) I wouldn't be calling this fanfiction, now would I?

A/N Now for Robert 'Bob' Wellington to step up to the plate. I think I've just about figured him out. So long as he doesn't hit me with the PCD (Personal Computer Device) he always carries around, I should be fine.

Summary: Student-Teacher universe. One-shot. "You do realize, Lord Botta, that if our leader doesn't kill us, I'm more likely to be demoted than promoted for this stunt." "Pessimist."

_**Security**_

Robert Wellington had always prided himself in being the best at his job. In two years, he'd risen in the ranks of the Renegades with a speed unparalleled by any other member. The recently retired Security Chief had even recommended the twenty-two-year-old human for taking over the position.

For some unknown reason, Hiram thought that his protégé needed to lighten up a little bit before getting the job, though. Even stranger was the fact that Lord Botta seemed to be taking that suggestion literally.

It had started, as all things do, as an argument

"So, Bob," Botta had, like many other's, picked up on Chief Hiram's nickname for Robert, "did you hear about the two guards that were trapped in our prison?"

"Um… no…"

"The door lost electricity. They should've electrocuted the door."

Erik Marik, Chief Engineer, had immediately defended the technology of the base. "Had those idiots done that, they'd have been in for worse than jail time," the orange-haired half-elf growled and muttered in something about divine retribution from a mortal source. "Besides, I did the maintenance on the brig myself; they probably just locked themselves in, the incompetent newbies. Geez, even that redheaded Chosen kid is brighter than that lot."

"Well," Botta had a smirk on his face, "I have an idea that'll really mess with the minds of the newbies and tighten security around the cells."

Uncertain of where that was leading, Bob listened as Botta filled the other two in on the plan of the century. It sounded okay… at first.

"That is a good idea, sir. Are you going to run it by Lord Yuan?"

"Nope. I was kind of hoping we could turn it into a… uh…" Botta tossed a look at Erik, who eagerly took over.

An enchanted expression had conquered the engineer's face. He didn't see the trouble they could be getting into, all he saw was the mechanics that would be going into the plot. "It's a prank. A wonderful, hilarious, prank. Lord Yuan's going to be so ticked… this'll be fun."

"Of course it'll be fun. It was my idea," Botta asserted proudly.

"Your sister will be steamed if we don't let her in on it," Erik pointed out, slowly returning to 'normal.'

"So, what's your point?" the brunette tossed back.

The raven haired security officer suppressed a snicker of amusement as Erik turned several shades of red. "He's dating your darling sister, remember? He doesn't want her to smite him."

"I know. I still want to know what his point is. Personally, I want her to smite him."

From there, the three men had gotten to work on what Erik cheerfully dubbed 'Project Prank.' Robert came up with a second name for the project after an hour of work. 'Project Enrage Boss.' Neither Botta nor Erik seemed to appreciate that name, however, so it was quickly abandoned for the original dub.

After four hours of hard work, pausing only to watch Erik electrocute himself a few times, Botta had them walk out of the room and wait. It wasn't long, though.

Half-an-hour later, Yuan walked out of the room with a harassed look on his face. "What exactly is wrong in there? I walked in through the secondary entrance in order to get to the hanger faster and… Erik, stop laughing."

"We decided to tighten the jail's security," Botta offered. "How did we do?"

The harassed look increased. "Warn me next time."

"According to those two, not warning you _was_ the whole point of the exercise," Robert grumbled.

Yuan's expression morphed into his typical stoic expression. "Oh, really?"

The door opened again and a grinning Zelos Wilder walked out. "That was fun. It's like a game of 'zap the security guardian' in there." Then, without waiting to see the effect of his words, the thirteen-year-old sauntered off.

A preternatural quiet descended upon the four men.

"No matter how you look at it, he spent less time in there than you did, sir," Erik said to break the silence.

"Shut up," Botta hissed, elbowing the orange-haired idiot. "You need a sense of self-preservation."

Yuan was staring down the hallway with the strangest of looks on his faces. "Mr. Wellington, you've been promoted to Chief of Security. I… I think I'm going to go back to my office now." He walked to the far end of the hallway and then turned back. "If any of you get the bright idea to alter the security like that again… at least give me a warning." The doors opened and shut around him.

"I wasn't fired…" Robert breathed, staring at the other two in shock.

"Very good observation," Erik muttered, in obvious good humor. Then, to Botta, "he'll check his pulse next."

Robert did not check his pulse… but his next words were, "I'm alive."

"You need to work on your priorities, mate," Botta quipped, a grin appearing on his face. Still in shock, Robert didn't even notice.

"My promotion was way more shocking, the entire base couldn't believe it, and he's having trouble comprehending that he, Mr. Shoo-In, is now a Colonel?"

"Erik…"

"I know, Lord Botta. _Erik needs to shut-up now._"

"So…" Botta smirked, "what are we going to do as our encore?"

"Encore?" Robert seemed to have bounced back. "Oh no. _We_ aren't doing anything else."

"Why not?" Erik looped an arm around the human's shoulders. "This one got you promoted, after all."

Botta swung an arm around Robert's shoulders as well. "Besides, we need a way to ensure that people who enter through the front entrance aren't invaders… or Desians disguised as Renegades…"

"Well… I have had this idea for a multi-lock door system…" Robert caved in, allowing the other two to drag him along towards the engineering section.

"Lets get started on the designs for that, then," Erik agreed, his eyes shining with internal light in anticipation.

A/N 'Desians disguised as Renegades…' hey, it could happen. And this, my friends, is what happens when Lord Botta gets bored. Poor Bob…

Hmmm… now do I write Gracie's short story or do I write the day when Erik had to stop the engineering section from sending itself to hell in a hand-basket? (The latter, I might add, would be dedicated to Kokiri, who requested I write it.) Decisions, decisions, decisions… Or, I could do my homework. My teachers would probably like that last one…

Now that you've read, please review. The hungry authoress needs sustenance to survive.


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